Suction cup



June 15, 1937. F. c. BREWER ET AL SUCTION CUP Filed Ju1yl4, 1956 1 v FREDERICK WILIRIAB; firm BY FREDERICK CHARLES BREWER ATTORNEY.

Patented June 15, 1937 d i Q r UNlTED STATES PATENT orllz SUCTION CUP Frederick Charles Brewer and Frederick William .l'ohanet, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Footsure Company, Incorporated, Lcs Angeles, Caliii, a corporation of California Application July 14, 1936, Serial No. 90,515 6 Claims. (01.4-185) This invention relates to suction cups of the operation, e onomy of manufacture class adapted t supp t t c articles against plicity of construction will be apparent to those lateral displacement on either horizontal or verof n in t art t which t invention apper tical smooth exteriors such as l tile, tains upon an examination of the following deenameled metal. scription read in the light of the accompanying 5 Resilience in the composition of suction cups drawing in Which is f th a s mp rtan t create a pres- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a small portion sure difierential between the chamber therein of b t t embodying our i t howing and the area therearound, and also to enable the t upper surface;

greater outside pressure to initially mold the sur- 2 is plan view of th underside of the 10 fa e c nta t n ps of the up, w minimum mat illustrated in Fig. 1, partially broken away; resistance to conformance with the shape of the Fig 3 is a Sectional View t k on lines 3 3 surface upon which it is intended to engage. of Fig 1 However, the effectiveness of suction cups of the Referring to the drawing in detail, the nup o ar W e depe n to a large extent up merals of which indicate similar parts through- 15 out the several views, 5 designates the body of a v is often redu d by the flexin f th c p in r bath mat composed of any material embodying 2 n t e Contacting edges gh W i Outside as exemplified by the cross ribs 6. The underpressure may be admitted. According y, to c mside of the mat is covered longitudinally by a b m mu d ty Whe in pe g D series of spaced, parallel wales i, V-shaped in' tion with utmost resilience of the con ct g p cross section, forming channels 8 therebetween and Collapsible dome in Suction 111 embodying through which fluid trapped below the mat may vacuum chambers of any size commensurate with escape. This feature obviates the disadvantage specific requirements, is a general object of this common to prior art bath mats failing to provide mats, h vin a xiliary surface engaging lips in The flexibility of the mat permits the sharp 30 towards displacement by lateral stress. in the surface which it contacts and engage the Another object of our invention is to provide edges thereof. a suction cup having a series of concentric vac- Vacuum cups, indicated generally by the nu- 5 uum chambers of diiferent sizes in which the moral 9, are molded integrally with the mat, prefi0 lizing the pressure difierential created between dome iii, of a thickness most adaptable to the the suction chamber and the external or atmosmaterial utilized to provide a maximum resilipheric pressure to maintain its grip, adapted to ency, is formed in the body 5 with its convex adhere with equal tenacity to an immersed, side extending slightly above the upper surface damp, or dry surface, but which may be removed of the mat. In the inside of the dome in and 5 with ease. substantially at its center, a downwardly pro- Another object is to provide a bath mat having truding stud H is molded The length of stud a plurality of vacuum cups embodying the char- H is preferably less than the distance between of their annular lips terminating above the base plane through the base of wales 7, so as to nor- )of a series of equi-spaced, V-shaped wales carmally be out of engagement with the surface 5 ried by the underside of the body of the mat supporting the wales. The stud may be hollow between the cups, to permit lowering of th or its lower end concave, as indicated at E2, formlips to surface-engaging position upon expulsion ing an auxiliary suction cup which will engage of fluid from the suction chambers. the surface upon which the wales are in contact Other objects such as efiiciency and facility of by the application of pressure on the dome.

A circular channel I3 is molded in the underside of the body of the mat below and slightly outside of the periphery of the dome. Between the vacuum chamber formed in the annular area 5 of dome in around stud H and channel l3 a circular rim M is provided, extending downwardly and terminating in a plane intermediate the base of the wales and the lower end of stud II.

It will be seen that the lower edges of stud H and rim l4 normally are supported above the surface on which the mat is laid, by the wales 1 and the body of the mat. The collapse of the dome ll) either by stepping upon the mat or manually, where convenient, forces the fluid from the suction chambers and utilizes outside pressure to urge the rim and lower edges of the stud into engagement with the surface. In cups having the edge of the dome normally in contact with the surface, the resistance of the cup to lateral displacement depends entirely upon the resilience of the dome. In the present invention, however, the channel 13 is normally in communication with the suction chamber the dome, and the bridge I5 overhanging the 5 channel is depressed with the dome, the resilience of which is combined to create the pressure differential. In eifect,our invention provides a vacuum chamber equal in diameter to the outside boundary of the channel IS in which a series of concentric circular contacting lips are embodied to engage the surface, and thereby resist displacement as well as to lend strength in the elements thereof to avoid the admission of air through creases formed by lateral strain on the cup.

While we have described the suction cups of our invention for use particularly in conjunction with bath mats, it should be understood that the cups may be utilized singly or in groups to support various other articles in an obvious manner, incidental alterations in the method and means of attachment thereto being within the ability of those of skill in the art. Numerous changes in size, proportion, arrangement, and

4.5 design of both mat and the suction cups, individually and relative to each other, may be made without departing from the essence of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters 50 Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a

beneath bath mat having formed in one of its surfaces 9. series of spaced, parallel wales, a vacuum cup formed in said surface comprising a dome having its convex surface extending slightly above the opposite surface of the mat, a circular channel formed in the mat around the concave of the dome, said channel and dome being separated by a rim having its lower periphery terminating above a plane through the base of said wales, and a stud substantially in the center of the concave of said dome having its lower end concave to form a suction chamber.

2. In a device of the character described, a body having a concavo-convex resilient suction cup therein, a channel surrounding said cup, and a stud in said cup having its lower end concave.

3. In a device of the character described, a resilient dome-shaped body, a stud carried by the concave surface of said body having a hollow lower bore, and a circular rim extending downwardly from the concave surface of said body,

having its lower end terminating in a plane inter-,

mediate the lower end of the stud and the outside edge of said body.

4. In a device of the character described, a resilient body having a concavo-convex dome, said dome having surface-engaging edges, an endless rim extending downwardly from said dome between said edges, and an auxiliary vacuum cup within and forming an integral part of said dome.

5. In a device of the character described, a resilient body having'a surface-engaging lip, a resilient dome in said body adjacent said lip, a resilient stud extending downwardly from and secured to the concave side of said dome, having its free end terminating above said lip to flex upon abutment against the surface to be engaged by pressure on said dome, Said stud being adapted by its resiliency to urge said dome to its original position upon release of pressure thereon, the lower end of said stud being concave.

6. In a device of the character described, a body having a surface-engaging endless lip, a resilient dome within said lip, a resilient bridge connecting said dome with said body, and an auxiliary suction cup extending downwardly from and connected to said dome.

FREDERICK CHARLES BREWER. FREDERICK WILLIAM JOHANET.

his. 

